


Tip Toes

by Missy



Category: Dirty Dancing (1987)
Genre: Backstory, Childhood, Dancing, First Meetings, Friendship, Gen, Kid Fic, Making Friends, Summer Camp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 10:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8886598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy/pseuds/Missy
Summary: It's Penny's first year at dance camp, and she meets a boy from a world much like her own.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bluflamingo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluflamingo/gifts).



It was Penny’s first day of dance camp, and for the first time in her life she actually felt special. She’d been bussed up from Brooklyn with twenty more girls from her neighborhood, but the occasion meant new shoes and a costume, something she rarely got, something that her parents could ill afford and were grateful to have her instructor pay for.

Her shoes were satin, blue colored. They were third hand but, as her mother often said, no one looks at your feet when they’re saying hello.

 

*** 

The introductory dance was so awkward and boring, with ten year olds lined up against the walls, eyeing members of the opposite sex with frightened concern. 

Penny didn’t have time to be afraid – she searched among the boys for one tall enough to look good with while waltzing; fortunately one with a jar haircut and beautiful eyes stepped forward and nervously looked her up and down. “Nice shoes. Want to dance?”

Penny thrust her hand toward the taller boy as he stared at the floor. “My name’s Penny.”

“I’m John,” he said. “I like Johnny better, though.” He tilted his head. “You’re from Brooklyn?”

“Bensonhurst,” she confirmed. “How could you tell?”

“I like those East Side Kids movies,” he said. “I’m from Tennessee,” he added. “And Georgia, though we just moved.”

“I’ve never been down there,” she admitted. “Always wanted to go.”

“It’s pretty,” he said, taking her hand and sweeping her away. She was surprised by the ease with which they fell into step, something that would mark the rest of her dances with him for years. 

“You’re good at this,” he said. “Like Joe DiMaggio.”

“More like Ty Cobb,” she said, smiling. 

“You like baseball?” he asked.

“Lots of girls like baseball!” she said, automatically on the defense.

“Okay, easy, geez,” he muttered, dipping her back onto her heels.

When the music stopped, they parted and applauded. He tugged at her hand. “Hey,” he said, “if you need a regular partner, let me know. That was more fun than I’ve ever had on a dance floor.”

“I’ll keep an eye out for you,” she said.

And she did so. For the rest of her life.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you have a great Yuletide!


End file.
